if ye so? 12 And Samson said unto them, I will || ed us to take that we have? is it not now put forth Pa riddle unto you; can certainly declare it me within the 16 And Samson's wife wept before seven days of the feast, and find it out, him, and said, Thou dost but hate me, then I will give you thirty sheets and and lovest me not: thou hast put forth a thirty change of garments. riddle unto the children of my people, and hast not told it me. And he said unto her, Behold, I have not told it my father nor my mother, and shall I tell it thee? r 13 But if ye cannot declare it me, then shall ye give me thirty sheets and thirty change of garments. And they said unto him, Put forth thy riddle, that we may hear it. done. 17 And she wept before him the sev. en days, while their feast lasted: and it came to pass on the seventh day, that he told her, because she lay sore upon him; and she told the riddle to the children of her people. a 18 And the men of the city said unto him, on the seventh day before the sun went down, What is sweeter than honey, and what is stronger than a lion? And he said unto them, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle. 19 And the Spirit of the LORD came him, and he went down to Ashkelon, a 16:6,13,16. Gen. 3:6. Job 2:9. upon Heb. possess us, or, impover ish us. y 16:15. z Gen. 2:24. Or, the rest of the seven days. Prov. 7:21. Luke 18:5. b Prov. 2:16,17. c 6. 3:10. 15:14. 1 Sam. 11:6. compassion for their fellow sinners, more fitness for many kinds of service on earth, and greater meetness for the worship and occupations of the redeemed in glory. And if any abuse this truth, let them know, that they are not concerned in it; for upright souls are always rendered more watchful, humble, diligent, simple, compassionate, and fervent in prayer, by every false step which they make: at least no others give evidence that they are believers.-Even death, that devouring monster, that king of terrors, being robbed of his sting and stripped of his horror, transmits the believer's soul to the realms of bliss, and makes way for the body itself being restored incorruptible, immortal, and glorious, to partake of endless felicity. In these and many other senses, "Out of the eater comes forth meat, and out of the strong, sweetness." (Notes, Rom. 5:3 -5. 8:35-39. 2 Cor. 4:13-18. Phil. 1:12-18. Jam. 1:2—4.) V. 10-14. When Samson, in conformity to custom, celebrated his marriage-feast, the Philistines brought him thirty companions; professing respect, but probably placing them as a watch upon him, being in some degree aware of his great strength. To prevent perhaps a worse use of time, Samson proposed a riddle as a trial of ingenuity; and a wager with each of them, of a sheet, shirt, or other linen garment, and a change of raiment of all sorts, that they could not resolve it. The riddle, in its literal purport, meant no more, than that he had got honey, for food and pleasure, from the lion, which in its strength and fury was prepared to devour him. Yet this explanation of the riddle may be interpreted, as containing an emblem of more importance, and V. 15-17. The barbarity, insolence, and selfmore hard to be understood, except by the teach-ishness of the conduct of these Philistines, illusing of God.-The victory, which Christ obtained trate the misery of Israel's bondage under such over Satan, by means of his agonies and death, tyrants.-Mr. Henry notes, that "they ought not and his subsequent exaltation; the glory that re-to lay wagers, who cannot bear to lose with betdounded to the Father; and the spiritual advan- 'ter temper:' and we may add, that such violent tages thence accruing to his people, may be shad-passions and implacable resentments are the comowed forth in it.—The entrance of sin, the fall of mon effects of affronted pride and disappointed man, and the ruin of the human race through the covetousness, in every kind and degree of gammalice of Satan, will issue in his deeper misery, ing; and that it should be entirely avoided.-The in the greater glory of God, and in the increased seventh day, first mentioned, (15) seems to have felicity of the redeemed, and of all holy crea-been the seventh day of the week, and the fourth tures to all eternity.-The persecutions of the church have promoted its purity and prosperity. The trials, conflicts, and temptations of the Lord's people are productive of holiness and comfort to their souls in this world, and work for them an exceeding weight of glory in the next. The remains of indwelling sin, and even the falls of real believers, become occasions to them of deeper humility, more simple dependence on the Savior, more ardent love and admiring gratitude, more of the feast; the remaining part of which Samson's wife, actuated by fear or attachment to her countrymen, spent in entreating him with tears to tell the riddle to her. and she at length prevailed. (Notes, 15:6. 16:6—21.) V. 18. Plowed, &c.] This is a proverbial expression. The Philistines could not have discovered the riddle of themselves, if they had not drawn it from Samson by tampering with his wife. it came to after, pass within a while and slew thirty men of them, and took BUT in the time of wheat-harvest, and slept, and gave change of garments unto them which expounded the riddle: and his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father's house. 20 But Samson's wife his companion, whom he • his friend. CHAP. XV. was given to that Samson visited his wife with a kid, and he said, I will go in to my wife into the chamber. But her father would not suffer him to go in. 2 And her father said, I verily thought that thou hadst utterly hated her; therefore I gave her to thy companion: is not her younger sister fairer than she? take samsen, returning to visit his wife, finds her given to another, her, I pray thee, instead of her. 1. 2. He sets fire, with foxes and fire-brands, to the corn of and he kills a thousand of them with the jaw-bone of an ass, 9-17. Being ready to perish by thirst, he cries to the Lord, Israel, 20. V. 19, 20. Samson found himself, by an immediate impulse of the Spirit of God, directed, emboldened, and assisted in this attack upon the enemies of Israel; which was fully justified by their public oppressions, without adverting to their treachery to him. (Notes, 15:1—5.) PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS. * 3 And Samson said concerning them, + Now shall I be more blameless than the Philistines, though I do them a displeasure. cessful conflict prepares for another, so one season of peculiar mercy is an earnest of another.-It is almost impossible to associate with worldly people, without conforming to their vain customs: at best, even when evident evil is avoided in such company, we spend our time to no purpose; and are we not called to "redeem our time," and to In contracting marriage, the senses are dan-do all to the glory of God?-We ought constantly gerous counsellors; beauty and wit are very to watch and pray against pride, anger, and covdoubtful recommendations; and wisdom, piety, etousness, and to avoid every thing that gives and holiness ought principally to be regarded.-force to these passions; for their effects are inNext to the word of God, the concurrence of conceivably dreadful when they acquire the asparents is generally requisite to render that rela-cendency.-It is dangerous to be connected with tion honorable and comfortable.-But they ought those, who will not be satisfied with any measure to act with consideration and kindness; and if of love or respect, except we will offend God constrained to refuse their concurrence, they or injure ourselves to oblige them. A worldly should give such convincing and important rea- wife, or a worldly friend, is to a godly man as an sons, as may prove that their refusal springs from enemy in the camp, who will watch every opporwisdom and affection, not from caprice and se- tunity to betray him; and, by assiduity and perseverity; from an unwillingness that their children verance, will more or less overcome his resolushould make an imprudent choice, not from any tions, and prevail with him to make such comdisposition to bind them against their will to a pliances, as will greatly injure his credit and single life. In no ordinary circumstances can comfort. (Notes, 16:6-21.) Nor can those conthere be any necessity for a person that professes nexions be comfortable or durable, where imporgodliness, to marry one who is manifestly irreli- tant secrets cannot be trusted without the danger gious: but the Lord can over-rule for the best of of being divulged. Indeed Satan's chief advanpurposes those actions, which we must by no tage against us arises from his correspondence means imitate; his designs do not influence our with our deceitful hearts and inbred lusts.-But conduct, unless he inform us of them; and his the wisest counsels of wicked men are very foolwritten word is our constant rule.--We are al-ishness, and eventually all their gain is loss: they ways exposed to danger of body and soul, both when alone and when in company; but nothing can hurt us except we wander from the path of duty. Even Satan, "that roaring lion," may be effectually resisted, and completely overcome, if, in answer to the prayer of faith, the Spirit of God communicates his strength to our souls. By no other means can we subdue this enemy; and thus all his temptations shall eventually conduce to our benefit.--We often lose the comfort and the real credit of our best disputed conflicts with our spiritual enemies, in consequence of ostentation: and the special favors, which God bestows upon us, can be mentioned only on some occasions, to particular persons, and in great modesty, without savoring of vain glory: and we obtain many secret victories over temptation, for which we need repeatedly to bless God, but of which we cannot speak particularly to our nearest earthly friend. We should be always ready to increase the comforts of others, by imparting to them our temporal good things; especially to parents and benefactors.--We enjoy the most sweetness from God's goodness to us, when we most frequently turn aside to meditate, and to bless him on that account: and as one suc secure some worldly interest, and for it lose their CHAP. XV. V. 1, 2. (Notes, 19:3,4. Esth. 2:1.) The anger of Samson, after a time, subsiding, and his affection reviving; he went to see his wife, taking with him a kid, on which to feast with her and her friends, and not knowing that she had been given to another. (14:20.)-The Jewish writers relate, that she had become a proselyte before Samson married her; but the whole narrative militates against that opinion, especially the father's answer on this occasion. 4 And Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took fire-brands, and turned tail to tail, and put a fire-brand in the midst between two tails. 5 And when he had set the brands on fire, he let them go into the standing corn of the Philistines, and burnt up both the shocks, and also the standing corn, with the vineyards and olives. 6 Then the Philistines said, Who hath done this? and they answered, Samson, the son-in-law of the Timnite, because he had taken his wife, and given her to his companion. And the Philistines came up, and burnt her and her father with fire. 7 And Samson said unto them, Though ye have done this, yet I will be avenged of you, and after that I will cease. h 8 And he smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter: and he went down and dwelt in the top of the rock Etam. 9 T Then the Philistines went up, and pitched in Judah, and spread themselves in j Lehi. 10 And the men of Judah said, Why are ye come up against us? and they answered, To bind Samson are we come up, to do to him as he hath done to us. e Ps. 63:10. Cant. 2:15. Lam. Thes. 4:6. k 11 Then three thousand men of Judah went to the top of the rock Etam, and said to Samson, Knowest thou not that the * Philistines are rulers over us? what is this that thou hast done unto us? and he said unto them, As they did unto me, so have I done unto them. 12 And they said unto him, We are come down to bind thee, that we may deliver thee into the hand of the Philistines. And Samson said unto them, Swear unto me that ye will not fall upon me yourselves. 13 And they spake unto him, saying, No; but we will bind thee fast, and deliver thee into their hand: but surely we will not kill thee. And they bound him with two new cords, and brought him up from the rock. 14 And when he came unto Lehi, n the Philistines shouted against him: and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him; and P the cords that were upon his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and his bands loosed from off his hands. 15 And he found a an ass, and put forth + Heb. went down. k 13:1. 14:4. Deut. 28:13,47,48. n 5:30. 16:24. Ex. 14:3,5. 1 new jaw-bone of his hand and took o 3:10. 14:6,19. Zech. 4:6. Ps further injuries, he would desist from attacking them. V. 8. The phrase, rendered "hip and thigh," has greatly perplexed critical expositors: but probably it means, that Samson, without any arms, attacked a great multitude of Philistines; and with his hips, or legs, and thighs, he threw them down, and then trode them to death. This he seems to have done on a mountain; and descending from it, he went and dwelt alone on the top of a rock: perhaps for retirement, that he might not be surprised by the Philistines, and because he did not choose to trust the Israelites. V. 3-5. Samson, being conscious that he was to be, in part, the deliverer of Israel from the Philistines, only waited for a fair occasion to declare against them. This was afforded him by the injurious treatment which he had received; and that was also a specimen of their conduct towards the Israelites when most submissive.-In the means which he employed, we must advert to the power of God, both in supplying them, and making them successful; which he did to mortify the pride, and punish the wickedness of the Philistines. Foxes were doubtless very numerous in those parts, and the people very expert in taking them; and probably Samson engaged as- V. 10, 11. The men of Judah had probably sistants in procuring and preparing them. Being paid their stipulated tribute, and had given no thus let go, they would hinder each other from cause of offence to their oppressors; and they wongaining their holes in the woods, and would take dered on what ground they came against them. shelter in the neighboring corn-fields and vine-They were sunk into an abject frame of spirit, yards: and the weather being dry, the corn ripe, and the fire kindled in many places at once, we may easily conceive that great destruction would very speedily be effected by this uncommon contrivance. (Note, 7:16–22.) V. 6. Samson's wife betrayed him, for fear of being burnt with fire; and thus brought that very death upon herself, for having by her treachery provoked Samson to this measure. (Note, 14:1517.) In like manner the Jews crucified Christ, lest his claim to be their King should bring the Romans upon them; and by this conduct they brought that very calamity upon themselves. (Note, John 11:47,48.) V. 7. The Philistines had indeed avenged Samson on those who had injured him; but they were instigated by hatred and dread of him, and not by any desire of doing justice: he therefore purposed effectually to avenge himself and his people upon them; and then, unless excited by and quietly endured to be in bondage to the 'Philistines; despairing of deliverance, or basely fear ing the trouble and peril of attempting it: other wise they would not have thus yielded up their champion. (Notes, Ex. 2:13-15. 1 Sam. 13:3,4.) V. 12, 13. Samson quietly submitted to be bound by the men of Judah, (who were intentionally his murderers,) and to be delivered up to the Philistines: but he made an agreement with his countrymen, that they would not themselves fal! upon him, lest he should be constrained to destroy them instead of their enemies; which he was unwilling to do, though so shamefully treated by them. In all this he was a type of Christ, who in his retirement was rudely assaulted by the Jews, whom he could easily have destroyed, but would not: into their hands he surrendered himself, and they bound him, and delivered him up to the Romans to be crucified; though the bonds even of death could not hold him, or prevent his victories and it, and slew a thousand men therewith. || thy servant: and now shall I die for 16 And Samson said, With the jaw-bone thirst, " and fall into the hand of the unof an ass, heaps upon heaps, with the circumcised? jaw of an ass have I slain a thousand men. 17 And it came to pass when he had made an end of speaking, that he cast away the jaw-bone out of his hand, and called that place + Ramath-lehi. 19 But God clave an hollow place that was in the jaw, and there came water thereout; and when he had drunk, his spirit came again, and he revived. Wherefore he called the name thereof En-hak 18 And he was sore athirst, and call-kore, which is in Lehi unto this day. ed on the LORD and said, Thou hast given this great deliverance into the hand of triumphs. (Notes, John 18:1-9. Acts 2:22-24.) V. 18, 19. Samson at this moment felt his weakness in himself, as before he had shewn his strength when assisted by the Lord. But his urgent distress reminded him of his danger; and led him to thank God for his deliverance, and to pray unto him for present relief: and then in the place where the jaw lay, or in Lehi, (marg.) a spring was supernaturally opened, by which he was relieved and preserved: so that he called the place "En-hakkore," or the well of him that cried (Marginal reading, and Marg. Ref.)--Christ too in his grand conflict with our enemies, thirsted, but had no well opened for his relief: for he not only "trode the wine-press alone," as Samson did on this occasion; but he also drank the cup of the wrath of God for us, which Samson could not have done. (Notes, Ps. 69:21. John 19-28-30.) V. 20. After this event Samson was submitted to, as judge, by the people.--From this we may suppose that he acted as a magistrate in civil concerns, and not merely as Israel's defender against the Philistines. (Preface to Judges.) If Samson was not born before the forty years of oppression by the Philistines began, his death must have occurred much nearer to the end of them, than some learned men suppose. Yet the twenty years during which he judged Israel, are said to have been "in the days of the Philistines," which intimated that Israel's deliverance was incomplete, and their enemies very formidable; no doubt because they had not duly repented, and returned to the Lord. PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS. In every contest he who first proposes reconciliation gains the noblest victory; especially when this is done by the offended party and the superior relation: navy, such concessions adorn the characters even of those who are most renowned for courage. (Note, 8:1--3.)-Where the knowledge of God and of his law are wanting, the most ordinary transactions of life will be conducted on such principles, as tend to confusion and licentiousness. -Wicked men, conscious of their own base intentions, suspect the worst concerning others, or 20 And he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years. y Gen. 45:27. 1 Sam. 30:12. Is. z 13:1,5. 16:31. pretend to do so to cover their own injustice: and their proposals, made under the guise of peace, are no less to be dreaded than their open enmity. It is therefore best to avoid all fellowship with them. (Notes, 2 Cor. 6:14-18. Eph. 5:8—14.)— We should endeavor to live at peace with all men; and in case that be impracticable, to avoid every thing which may render us justly chargeable with the consequences of contention: and before the Lord proceeds to execute vengeance, he often manifests the inexcusable wickedness of his enemies.-When plenty is acquired by rapine, and abused by the possessors in sensual indulgence, they may reasonably expect to have it taken from them: nor does it require much ability to be an incendiary, and to kindle the fire of discord in families, churches, and nations. Indeed, such scourges are generally instigated by one more subtle and malicious than themselves; and they may expect to be consumed in he fires which they kindle. But in the bands of those when God employs, the most contemptible instruments are rendered successful.-They who sin to avoid suffering will bring troubles upon themselves, against which they can have no protector.Heartless professors of religion, who value the friendship and fear the frown of the world, and who are the slaves of sin and Satan, censure, hate, and betray those. who call them to liberty in the service of God: to save themselves in times of persecution, they often apostatize and turn betrayers and accusers of the brethren; (Matt. 24: 9,10.) and in their opinion, the best services, and most hazardous endeavors to do good, deserve reproach, condemnation, and punishment. But we shall not be discouraged by these things, when we consider how the Savior was treated; we shall see how we ought to act, when we observe his meckness, patience, and dying prayers for his crucifiers; and we shall discard our fears, when we consider his triumphs, his ascension, his glory, and his promise that they who "suffer with him shall also be glorified together."-Whenever we are peculiarly favored of God, pride will lead us to rob him of his glory, unless we be very watchful: hence every comfort must be counterbalanced with a cross; and the more any man is made useful to others, the more he generally needs mortifying experiences of his own weakness, folly, and unworthiness. (Notes, 2 Kings 20:12-19. 2 Chr 32:24-26. 2 Cor. 12:7-10.) By such painful dis cipline we are taught to know our own place, and to feel our entire dependence on the Lord, and our continual obligations to him. When, however, our trials have produced the proper effect, they shall be removed, and become sources of grati tude and comfort, and excite us to raise fresh monuments of the goodness of God.-But in this world our enemies will continue powerful, and our victories incomplete: ere long we shall be C CHAP. XVI. Samson, ensnared by a harlot at Gaza, is in imminent danger, again, and his strength returns, 22. The Philistines, at the and dies with great multitudes of his enemies, 23-30. buried by his friends, 31. is HEN went Samson to a Gaza, and saw there *an harlot, and went in unto her. 2 And it was told the Gazites, saying, Samson is come hither. And they compassed him in, and laid wait for him all night in the gate of the city, and were + quiet all the night, saying, In the ing when it is day we shall kill him. e morn 3 And Samson lay till midnight, and arose at midnight and took the doors of the gate of the city, and the two posts, and went away with them, bar and all, and put them upon his shoulders, and carried them up to the top of an hill that is before Hebron. 4 ¶ And it came to pass afterward, a Gen. 10:19. Josh. 15:47. c 1 Sam. 1:11. 23:26. Ps. 118: † Heb. silent. d 15:18. Matt. 21:38. 27:1. Acts e Ps. 107:16. Is. 63:1-5. Mic. Heb. with the bar. that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah. 5 And the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and said unto her, h Entice him, and see wherein his great strength lieth, and by what means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him: and i we will give thee every one of us eleven hundred pieces of silver. k 6 And Delilah said to Samson, * Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great strength lieth, and wherewith thou mightest be bound to afflict thee. 1 7 And Samson said unto her, 1 If they bind me with seven π green withs that were never dried, then shall I be weak, and be as ** another man. 8 Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven green withs which had not been dried, and she m bound him with them. 9 Now there were men lying in wait, f 1 Kings 11:1. Neh. 13:26. 1 Or, by the brook. g 3:3. Josh. 13:3. 1 Sam. 29:6. i 17:2. Gen. 38:16. Num. 22:17, Tim. 6:9,10. k Ps. 12:2. Prov. 6:26. 7:21. 22: 14. 26:28. Jer. 9:2-5. Mic. 7: 2,5. 10. 1 Sam. 19:17. 21:2,3. 27: 10. Prov. 12:19. 17:7. Rom. 3: 8. Gal. 6:7. Col. 3:9. Or, new cords. Heb. moist. ** Heb. one. m Ec. 7:26. made more than conquerors, and render perfect by his assistance, in contempt of the guards, he and eternal hallelujahs. NOTES. seized on the gate, with the posts, which he violently dragged out of the ground, and the bar also, and carried them several miles to the top of a hill, no one venturing to interrupt or seize him. Thus our Lord, when in the likeness of sinful flesh, after his crucifixion between two thieves, arose as a conqueror over death and every foe; and, as it were, broke open and carried away with him the very gates of the grave, while he ascended into heaven as the first-fruits of the resurrection. V. 4. It is not certain whether Delilah was a Philistine, or a licentious Israelite; but Samson indulged a base affection for her, and most shamefully wasted his time in her company, perhaps emboldened by his impunity in the foregoing instance.-Some think he had married her; but this is not intimated, nor is it probable. Her name implies a consumer, or wasting, which is very apposite. CHAP. XVI. V. 1-3. Hitherto Samson's character, though uncommon, has appeared illustrious: and considering him as raised up to deliver Israel,|| and instructed, as well as assisted, to do it in that unprecedented manner, which best tended to mortify the Philistines, and to manifest the mighty power of God; we may fairly vindicate most of his past conduct, and safely imitate much of it: and notwithstanding many infirmities, we have|| hitherto met with nothing inconsistent with his character as a perpetual Nazarite. (Note, 13:4,5.) But in this chapter we find him behaving in so wicked and infatuated a manner, that many have been led to question whether he were indeed a really pious man. The apostle however numbers him among those, "who obtained a good report through faith;" (Heb. 11:32,33,39.) and by duly considering the doctrines and examples of Scripture, the deceitfulness of the human heart, the artifices of Satan, and the methods in which the Lord frequently deals with his people; we may interpret this 'riddle of a man,' as some have call ed him, and may learn useful lessons from his history, which perplexes some, and emboldens many to cavil and object.-Confiding in his great strength, and the dread of him with which the Philistines had been seized, he boldly entered Gaza, one of their chief cities, (on what account we know not,) and there he went in unto a ot. This disgraceful circumstance was soon made known to the inhabitants; who, fearful of attacking him, laid wait for him all night, and were probably forming some stratagem, or sending for some re-inforcements, that in the morning they V. 6-8. This artful woman would no doubt might assault and kill him. But at midnight propose the question, as a matter of mere curios(perhaps awakened by remorse of conscience,) heity; and would couch it in such terms, accompany arose; and the Lord, though greatly offended, was it with such blandishments, and urge it at such pleased "to work for his own name's sake;" and times, as were most likely to prevail. (14:16,17.) VOL. I. 93 V. 5. The princes of the five chief cities in Philistia soon heard of Samson's conduct, and formed a plan for his ruin. By promising Delilah about six hundred pounds sterling, to be made up by equal sums from each of them, they induced her to employ all her insinuation to find out the cause of his supernatural strength; which they supposed to depend on some observance, that he might be induced to neglect: and when in consequence his strength should fail him, they purposed to avenge themselves on him. They seem to have intimated to Delilah, that they only meant to afhar-flict him, that he might not continue formidable; but not to kill him. Yet their dread of him was so great, that they durst not, on any advantage, attempt to seize him, till satisfied that his great strength was departed! [73* |